5 Things That Made Us :), :/, and :( at Coachella 2013 Friday, Weekend 2

Maximum Performance

Tiffany LeeApril 19, 2013

Jurassic 5 [Photo by Debi Del Grande]

For the second year in a row, Coachella throws us for a Groundhog's Day loop, giving festival-goers the (almost) identical lineup from last weekend's severely wind-swept music extravaganza. Weekend 2 has historically brought much less in "wow" factor than Weekend 1 with it's clear lack of star-studded surprise guests, but I like to consider the second weekend to be the main show to last weekend's warm-up!

The usual highlights went to the same winners as last Friday -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blur, Johnny Marr -- but this week we were able to catch exceptional sets from a hypnotizing Tegan and Sara, a well-needed hip-hop break from Jurassic 5, and even the Stone Roses (despite their slot switcheroo) performed better than their poorly attended headlining set last Friday.

But let's get into the granular moments of Coachella Weekend 2, Friday with some fun highlights, awkward moments, and "I'm outta here" times!

1. James McCartney Covering Neil Young's "Old Man"

:/

Certainly able to hold his own, James McCartney (son of Paul) performed an on-point cover of Neil Young's "Old Man" during his completely solo set. It's classic and moving song for any performer, but given that McCartney will forever live in the senior Beatle's shadow (and looks an awful like his dad), the song was a little awkward coming from him. But he was nonetheless brilliant on the acoustic guitar, undoubtedly inheriting much of his dad's talent.

2. The Giant Snail Watching Divine Fits With Us

:)

Towering above the Outdoor stage, one of the many eccentric art installations decided to install itself right up in Divine Fits' faces, taking up precious front row real estate. The humungous, mobile hologram and grafitti'd snail stared right at frontman Britt Daniel, whose already pale complexion lent itself to making the musician look fearful for his life. Daniel even joked that if their band didn't play well, the snail will eat them. Perhaps the Stone Roses should've had the snail en garde at their set last weekend (so I've been told).

3. Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine Perform "California Über Alles"

:)

Jello Biafra [Photo by Debi Del Grande]

Legendary frontman Jello Biafra and his current band of merry punksters performed the Dead Kennedys' iconic first single to a moshing crowd. Waxing political about the state of jobs and nefarious big business, Biafra was as punk as ever and his vocals haven't aged a bit. Our teen selves shed a happy tear.

4. Dog Blood: Skrillex and Boys Noize Are Not Daft Punk

:(

DJ powers combined, dance music besties Skrillex and Boys Noize paired up as Dog Blood (ugh) and reveled before an adoring crowd of shirtless bros and girls in bikinis and body paint. It's mad hi-hatters like them who caused Daft Punk to distance themselves from the now-prevalent heavy electronic production in their new album. But still, they put on a flashy, reality-shattering show.

5. Nick Cave Walks on the Crowd During Grinderman Set

:)

Grinderman [Photo by Debi Del Grande]

The unstoppably cool Nick Cave came out kicking (literally kicked his bandmates) for his first of two sets at Coachella Weekend 2 with his band Grinderman. Serving up his signature shrieks and growls, the frontman climbed onto the audience a number of times, standing on hands, grasping crowd surfers by the shirt, pointing angry fingers in the faces of pretty ladies, and overall being his insanely intense, insanely awesome self. Normally that behavior would scare off another human being, but with Mr. Cave, the crowd couldn't get enough.